There’s no shortage of subjects to write about in the freelance writing market, but choosing a genre can increase your marketing appeal. With an aging population in the United States, a popular section to write for is the retirement age. And with so much to learn about, from how to take care of yourself as you age to the best time to take your retirement, there are plenty of things to write about.
If you choose to target senior living and all it includes, first you need to know some promising places to pitch.
Where to Pitch
When you write articles about senior living, you want your words to make it to your target audience, and so you have to know where to pitch. You could Google, “senior living + write for us,” and that will land you results, but not all publications pay for submissions.
Before pitching to a publication, check to ensure that they pay their contributors. If you are making your living as a freelance writer, paid articles are the keys to your success.
Here are some places that pay their freelance writers:
- AARP
- Good Times
- Grand Magazine
- Mature Living
- Yours Magazine
Once you choose the publications you’re going to pitch, read their guidelines, and follow them exactly.
Things to Discuss
You might have subject matters in mind since you have decided to write about life as a senior citizen, but before you make a final decision on a pitch, know who you’re pitching to. Read the publication to which you want to pitch and make sure the subject you choose doesn’t exist there. If it does, do you have a new angle for it? Do they have product reviews like write ups on medical alert systems or do they write more about a seniors’ lifestyle and activities?
When laws change and they affect seniors, it’s easy to find that fresh angle, but it is not always cut and dry. Notice what’s going on in the world and explore how it affects the senior community. A fresh perspective on an existing topic might appeal to the publication you choose.
Retirement Income
Living on a fixed income is challenging, and laws are ever-changing, so articles about how to live on retirement income are useful to seniors. Things like 401k income, IRAs, Social Security, and required minimum distributions are of special interest to those who rely on that income. Think about how you can best help seniors navigate their new income sources, and pitch those ideas.
There’s also another side to retirement income, and that is the spending side. Look for ways to help retirees save money and craft your article around those ideas.
Senior Technology
Today’s technology makes it possible for grandparents to stay in touch with their grandkids and helps seniors live more independently. While brainstorming pitches, think about apps for seniors that make their lives better, and technology for assisted living that helps them stay safe while living on their own for longer.
Retirement Communities
Some retirees want to remain in the homes where they raised their families, while others want to move into retirement communities with like-minded individuals. Research retirement communities in your area or your targeted publication’s area and design a pitch about living in those communities.
Some, while remaining home, might require care support services or wish for a companion who can live with and assist them. Such caregivers can enable our elders to live as freely as possible and with a sense of independence. Retirees may choose such an option if they are not open to retirement communities. Understand the kinds of senior care people might need and try writing about those.
If a publication rejects your pitch, try another publication or change your pitch and try again. Bringing helpful information to the retired community is an important task, so keep trying and don’t give up.
Target Information Your Readers Will Use
The most important part of crafting a pitch for a senior publication is to know what seniors want to know. Bring a fresh angle to an old subject or choose something entirely new to pitch, but whatever you decide, make it useful to the reader.
